CLASS LETTER

Dear Mr Swinney,

I am a primary school teacher and I am writing in a Scottish local about to you regarding authority the way teaching my grave concerns impossible in Scotland job to do has become a standard adequately, nearly expected far less to the of of us. I want to high the issues that highlight to you on I know teachers some a daily basis, (including myself) want and why so many face to leave our profession. teachers currently to think that perhaps As an SNP voter, I these issues would like highlighted to have not been you. However, properly my concern is that and Scottish Government are not the SNP underlying issues tackling the in education real a plaster over but are rather a gaping wound just putting with their current First policies. of all, let me tell teaching you a bit in the same about myself. I I love local authority have been my job. I get so for 13 years now my class much pleasure and grow over the seeing the children making learning space of each in fun and year and I enjoy job to be exciting more than for them. I consider I work just a job. It is a my extremely hard big responsibility me, as to achieve the and well as building results expected children in my positive relationships of care and their with the parents or carers. However, I have the felt a growing last three or four sense of concern increasingly years that the over job I love is impossible to reasons do effectively, becoming which I have highlighted for various the pay campaign below. I am that the EIS in favour moment, are of as I think fighting at the challenges that this is one of the issues that teachers. problems Nevertheless, I in teaching think that the of pay go far beyond a over the fall in the real past decade. level Firstly, when I started more and more teaching, inclusion the norm within was becoming are very few specialist schools. Now schools, that effects teachers there of inclusion on a are feeling the admirable daily basis. in its intention, This policy, whilst underfunded. does In not work as it is teachers my school, it is fairly drastically to be physically common for needs cannot assaulted be met by children whose funding. due to the inadequate It’s even more level of verbally common for abused. These our teachers to of the lack things are be of skills happening not it through or effort on the because a lack of part of teachers. rather support from Nor is it is through management. But from the lack of resources Government level. and support There are an increasing within our schools, number of challenging continually and yet our resources children depleted. We have are being worker hours, fewer classroom management are support schools more being pulled often so cannot out of needs are simply help out and the level. not being met. children’s It has reached It has become a extra problem for crisis support as they the children who setting. are not coping need Consequently, in a large class being neglected the other children’s as teachers are needs are majority of their having to spend challenging classroom time the children. dealing with these are being As a class teacher, more pulled in so many you feel like you to do the best directions because for all your children you want raise attainment but it is impossible such in your class, to challenging whilst having to is behaviour every deal with with my class last day. An example children year, where of this from the I had to evacuate while classroom on the one of my children more than one emphasise, trashed occasion, that I the classroom. children I want to am very experienced like this but, despite in dealing with gets to a point my experience, I where you can know that it have been taught use all the strategies and sometimes you it just does not work. Another part of have the problem is produced a blame that these difficulties laid at the culture, feet of where the blame in teachers. They is being some cases). They need more training should have done (true things differently. There should be people more strategies in place. It is easy to point the finger for an extremely when they are challenging not working in down from the situation, they are not worn dayto-day stress deal with these of having to situations with continually them. Having spoken very few resources authorities, to deal to several teachers I am very aware in different local exclusive to that this situation my local authority is not problem. but is a Scotland-wide One of the most the concerning and state of the education frustrating issues able to speak system with out about is the inability schools to be the problems have not had proper we face. Many logging in violent training when it or verbally threatening comes to statistics provided to government incidents, so accurate picture will never of what is truly provide an concerning thing going on. The that has happened my most colleagues arranged so far, is that one to meet with yourself, issues that of were of great concern to discuss person was “warned” to them. However, ahead by their manager, this with the that if they this! meeting, they would went I find this be disciplined deeply concerning. for in a democratic We are supposed express society, where to live our views we have the freedom repercussions. and opinions without to Clearly this fear of does not sit is not well with so. A situation like Government me, thinking this are not that an SNP-run actually allowed to facing teachers be made aware we on a of what is have been told day-to-day basis fact to keep our “mouths because that I am having to write shut”. The very fear of being to you anonymously, pulled up by my for disciplined, shows local authority, a very worrying or democracy is clearly situation not supported. where Finally, with reference proposing to what the SNP to do to help teachers, have been goes anywhere I do not think far enough. We that it This is fact. In all have a teaching friends the local authorities crisis. in, we all talk about that I have teacher supply cover how if a impossible it is teacher is off sick. vacant to get posts that cannot Many schools have new teachers be filled. into teaching Whilst encouraging step in the right by providing direction, it is incentives is a It does not solve merely a drop things long term. in that the ocean. you have lots of The long-term issue the job. very experienced is There are new teachers leaving the relevant people coming experience in who do not behaviours to deal with the have I have mentioned kind of there is little support, early on in my letter. is clear these teachers As that there needs are unlikely to last. to be a longer-term Perhaps having It a properly funded strategy. support teacher specialist in each school behaviour possible solution. would be part The children of behaviour with a need more challenging sizes. They adult support would thrive and smaller class Then teachers better if they were would be able given be dealing to this. with behaviour teach again, rather as much. than As I mentioned which earlier, I am not you are aware sure of the extent of how bad things visit schools, to people are are. When you want to hear, most likely through to tell you what able to fear of you canvas repercussions. teachers directly If you were anonymous survey, perhaps through struggles then that would an that teachers show you the real you take are having. the content I sincerely hope I know of this letter very that that I am seriously, because the SNP starting to feel Government’s quite disillusioned lack of concern with education system for our at present. I failing to a lack do understanding believe that this teachers of real difficulties is down face. I hope that schools and the frustration this letter that teachers highlights some are facing of at the moment. Thank you for taking sincerely your time to read hope that it will this letter, and I make a difference.

Kind regards, A Scottish teacher.